Multiple imager video systems can make multiple images appear to be from a single input source through a process of stitching or blending images into a single video stream.
FIG. 1 illustrates the process of stitching together two images 100 and 102. It is to be noted that the same process applies to the case of stitching more than two images. Referring to FIG. 1, it will be seen that the image 100 includes a region of overlap 104, whereas the image 102 includes a region of overlap 108.
Solid lines 106 and 110 define merge lines. The significance of the merge lines 106 and 110 is that they demarcate redundant information on the images 100 and 102 that is to be removed during merging/stitching. Thus, for the image 100 on the left, the dotted information right of the merge line 106 (and similarly for the image 102 on the right, the dotted information left of the merge line 110) will be removed since it is redundant information. Thus, each merge line 106, 110 defines a location of the seam between the images 100 and 102. During normal operation, the seam location is retrieved from memory and used to stitch a sequence of images. The seam location is a static location identified during manufacturing.
The ideal multiple imager video system should leave a viewer unaware that multiple imagers recorded the video. Thus, the viewer has a seamless experience in which the multiple imagers appear as a single imager.